Asian Games: Kumkum’s Perfect 10 Seals Historic Recurve Gold as India Stun South Korea

One gold secured. Another within reach. And two Olympic quota places on the line.

Seventeen-year-old Kumkum Mohod was at the heart of a memorable morning for Indian archery at the Asian Games on Friday, helping deliver a historic women’s recurve team gold before partnering Dhiraj Bommadevara to reach the mixed team final.

Kumkum, Ankita Bhakat and Kirti Sharma defeated South Korea 5-3 to secure India’s first Asian Games medal in the women’s recurve team event. Hours later, Kumkum and Dhiraj overturned a 1-3 deficit to beat Japan 5-3 in their mixed team semifinal.

India will face China for the mixed team title, with the winning country also earning one men’s and one women’s quota place for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

A Perfect 10 for a Historic Gold

India entered their first Asian Games women’s recurve team final against formidable opposition. South Korea had three archers in the top four of qualification; India’s finalists had finished 10th, 20th and 25th.

The final proved much closer than those rankings suggested.

Both teams scored 54 in the opening set and 56 in the second, splitting the points to remain level at 2-2. Ankita struck two 10s in the second set, while Kumkum’s final-arrow 10 helped keep India alongside the favourites.

India made their decisive move in the third set. Kirti opened with a 10, followed by 9s from Ankita and Kumkum. South Korea then faltered, shooting three consecutive 8s to finish on 51.

India responded with an 8 from Kirti, a 9 from Ankita and another 10 from Kumkum, winning the set 55-51 and taking a 4-2 lead.

They needed only a tied fourth set to secure gold.

South Korea initially moved two points ahead, but India stayed in contention. In the final rotation, Kirti and Ankita each scored 9, leaving Kumkum needing a perfect 10 to level the set at 54.

She delivered, sealing the 5-3 victory.

From Gold to a Semifinal Fightback

Kumkum returned alongside Dhiraj for a tense mixed team semifinal against Japan.

Japan won the opening set, and a 36-36 tie in the second left India trailing 1-3 in set points.

The Indian pair responded emphatically. Kumkum shot two 10s in the third set, while Dhiraj added a 9 and a 10. Their total of 39 comfortably beat Japan’s 35, bringing the match level at 3-3.

The fourth set came down to the final arrows.

Japan led 19-18 after the opening two shots from each pair. Kumkum then scored 9 and Dhiraj added 10 to take India’s total to 37.

Japan needed 18 from their last two arrows to tie the set. Nanami Asakuno shot 9, but Junya Nakanishi could manage only 7, handing India the set and a 5-3 semifinal victory.

China Awaits, With Olympic Quotas at Stake

China defeated South Korea in the other semifinal to set up the gold-medal clash with India.

The final offers more than an Asian Games title: victory would secure one men’s and one women’s LA 2028 quota for India. Those places are awarded to the National Olympic Committee, rather than automatically guaranteeing selection for the individual archers who win them.

India’s men’s recurve team also remained in contention, with Dhiraj, Neeraj Chauhan and Yashdeep Bhoge scheduled to face Iran in the semifinal later on Friday.

The women’s team victory had already taken India to 11 golds and 67 medals overall, including 23 silver and 33 bronze, before the mixed team final.

With inputs from ANI